Acura TL: A-Spec Suspension vs Stock Suspension

holoholo

I recently purchased an 06 TL w/o NAV and enjoy the car very much. However, I am interested in possibly upgrading to the A-Spec suspension only and keeping my 17's. Has anyone experienced both suspensions? I hate to spend an extra $800 if its going to make for a very choppy ride.

bazookajoe

I have an '04 TL, I am actually thinking of getting the suspension myself (I did the 18 inch wheels and a thicker rear sway bar - its pretty tight already). I'll get it done in the next couple of weeks (have to order the parts)
Where are you getting yours done ? The dealer in my area quoted me $1,100 plus labor to do it (I already have all the other A-Spec components plus a cold air intake - added about 12 hp, and it is noticeable)
Have you done yours yet ? if so, thoughts ? also, how much did it lower your car ?

holoholo

I am in Glendale, CA and I was priced the same. I have not done the install and was hoping more people could post their experiences before taking the plunge. I may just add the rear sway bar. Let me know if you decide to do the install and how it all worked out. Thanks

bazookajoe

Will do - and if you dont mind, let me know if you get any feedback about this (good or bad.. I want to know the deal before I do it, expensive mistake...)
I need a brake job, since I didnt get the 6 speed (opted for auto since a lot of my driving is in downtown traffic -granted, its Jacksonville Fl. traffic) I didnt get the big brakes that come with the 6-speed, and I found out its over 3k to get them put on. I dont think Im going to do that - end up with a 40k+ TL, hell I would have bought something else to begin with.

miken06

I am in the market for 2006 100% TL A-Spec package in Orange County - could you tell me what's the good price for this model? Thanks.

tl777

Hi, any TL should be purchased at invoice, which is about 3000 grand less than MSRP. I am in the car bus in So Cal. Every dealer is slow right now so they are willing to move more. Go through he internet or fleet depts, not the retail sales channel. Good luck. Oh ya, rates are in the 5-6% range right now too.

bryncerdd

For those interested in the A-spec option: 1) I posted an inquiry on another thread asking about prices for the A-spec and and evaluation of the resulst. My local dealer quoted me a complete price of $3500, which seems unreasonable, particularly when I read quotes of $800 and $1100. But perhaps those were for the suspension materials only?

I am more concerned about the practical results of this dealer-ionstalled option. I would appreciate any comments from any reader who has driven an Acura TL with this equipment. :-/

Bryncerdd

habitat1

Dumb question, but does the "A-Spec" suspension differ than the one on the TL 6-speed? (i.e. meaning larger rear stabilizer bars, Brembo brakes, etc.) I drove a 2005 A-spec when my 2004 6-speed was in for service and could not tell the difference, even with the 18" wheels. If there is a difference it is certainly far less noticable than the difference between a 3-series standard vs. sport package, which I could distinguish between immediately.

Personally, I wouldn't spend the money on a FWD TL to upgrade the suspension beyond the 6-speed. Certainly not $2-3k. Don't get me wrong, I value good handling (my other car is a 2005 911 S), but if I was putting that as the top priority for my everday sedan, I would go with a RWD 3 or 5 series, or even possibly a G35. No amount of suspension upgrades are going to overcome the front weight bias and torque steer, which are more of an issue than cornering capability, IMO.

The other factor is resale. My dealer had that 2005 A-spec car for at least 3-4 months before it sold - at a price that was comparable to a non A-spec car. The guy that originally ordered the car forfeited a "significant" deposit when he walked. So, while the nav system is a $2k upgrade that is worth close to that on resale, it appears that the A-spec is a lot less valuable down the road.

voxboy

I'm looking for any advice on how to make my TL feel more like the TSX. I like the sporty handling of that model. Would A-Spec help? I'm not sure what the fundamental advantage is of the A-Spec.

larsonjm

I own a 2006 TL (purchased new) with automatic, 17" stock wheels. After 1,000 miles I went back to the dealer, Ron Tonkin Acura, Portland, Oregon to see how to upgrade the driving experience. I had driven an Integra ('91) which was a sporty little car, though I just gave it to my nephew with 145,000 miles I still loved it to the end. The TL is another story. I put the A-Spec suspension kit (shocks & springs) on the vehicle. I did not purchase any other components and from my investigations Ron Tonkin was the only dealer who would do this. Most wanted the whole A-Spec kit which is too much money. The results: Reduced the floating feeling at highway speeds, much more sporty feeling with a little harsher ride, due in part by the increased tire pressure recommended to me of +4 pounds over factory psi recommendations for front and rear tires.A number of people reviewing tires at TireRack.com site commented that added tire pressure improved handling. A friend of mine who owns a wheel shop advised same to me. Was it an improvement? Yes, but it still feels sloppy at highway speeds when accelerating in a curve and you hit a bump or when getting off a freeway that has a curved exit. From comments about tires, not many people like the factory Bridgestone Turanza EL42 tires, which my car came with ,though everyone seems to have their own favorite tire. The one thing they had in common was that the Turanza was too soft, flexing too much when pressed. Many said they were garbage. I concur completely. It's been years since I had a BMW, purchased new, but I remember I loved the road feel in the steering. The TL doesn't feel solid at highway speeds and I drive 75-80 most of the time. Even with 18" wheels I still see car reviews describing the new 2007 TL/TL TYPE S as front heavy 60/40 front/rear distribution. My guess is, the guy who wrote that he drives a Porsche 911, and his wife the TL, is correct when he says you will never get it to have a true road-handling feel due to front wheel drive. My verdict is the same. I want to love my TL as the fit and finish is superb as is the transmission. I feel very attuned to what my car is doing most of the time. I would never again buy an automatic, though it is quick. Until ACURA adds AWD or goes RWD they are not going to capture the BMW loyalist, nor satisfy the ACURA loyalist who wants that spirited driving feel. Lastly, the sport suspension will lower the vehicle about 3/4". The springs and shocks are approx 30-40% stiffer, enough to make a difference and if you have better tires than the Turanzas, you might be happier than I am.